What got you Here won't get you there
Overview
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith is a compelling and practical guide aimed at successful individuals seeking to break through to the next level in their careers or personal lives. The book is primarily focused on helping high achievers identify the habits and behaviors that may have helped them succeed up until this point but are now limiting their future growth.
Key Themes & Insights
- The Power of Feedback: One of the central messages of the book is the importance of receiving honest feedback. Goldsmith argues that successful people often fail to recognize how their behaviors impact others, and being open to feedback is a crucial step in self-improvement.
- Success Can Be a Handicap: Goldsmith emphasizes that the very traits that help people succeed—confidence, assertiveness, and sometimes perfectionism—can become barriers when individuals reach a certain level of success. As you climb the ladder, these strengths can morph into weaknesses that hinder future progress.
- The 20 Habits That Hold You Back: The book identifies specific behaviors, such as a tendency to win at all costs, the need to always be right, or the habit of taking credit for team efforts, that high achievers should work to eliminate. Goldsmith presents these habits as invisible roadblocks that need to be consciously addressed to avoid stagnation.
- The Importance of Active Change: Goldsmith stresses that awareness alone is not enough—high achievers must actively work to change their behavior. He offers practical tools, like the “feedforward” technique, where individuals focus on receiving suggestions for the future rather than dwelling on past mistakes.
- The Role of Accountability: Goldsmith encourages individuals to make the process of self-improvement public, either by enlisting the help of mentors or coaches. This not only helps keep them on track but also provides an external perspective on their progress.
Mindscape Comments
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There is an excellent read for leaders, executives, or anyone in a position of success who is looking to take their career or life to the next level. It’s a refelective call that even the most successful individuals must continuously evolve and be willing to confront their own limitations. The book’s blend of wisdom, self-awareness, and practical tools makes it a valuable resource for anyone committed to personal growth and sustained success.
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